Author Archives: xmas

When is Christmas 2012? – Date of Christmas 2012

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Christmas Day 2012 falls on Tuesday, 25 December 2012.

When is Christmas 2012 – Date of Christmas 2012

Traditionally a Christian holiday, Christmas in many countries is now also a celebration of the secular part of the holiday, with lots of shopping, entertainment, Christmas lights, and Santa showing up in full furs despite the fact that some are smack in the middle of the tropics.

In Singapore, Shanghai, Tokyo, and other Asia metropolitan cities, streets and shopping malls are lit up with stunning electric light displays that blaze through the cities prime shopping and entertainment districts every Christmas season. This, combined with the late mall hours put in place during Christmas season, make nighttime shopping in way more fun for shoppers.

Some churches are trying to guide Christmas day celebrations back to the religious spectrum, and you can’t fault them for trying, but for many, the whole point of Christmas is shopping, with malls doing their darndest to entice shoppers into their doors as Christmas time approaches.

A Cheerful Christmas Tree Card

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A Cheerful Christmas Tree Card

Here’s another cute Christmas card using that cute little tree framelit from the Holiday Collection framelits. I cased this card design from Pinterest. I love that it uses the Designer Frames Textured Impressions folder.

I hope you’re having a great December so far. Thanks for stopping by today!

Supplies Used:

Stamps: Pennant Parade

Ink: Cherry Cobbler

Paper: Very Vanilla, Cherry Cobbler, Gumball Green, Be of Good Cheer dsp, Red Glimmer paper

Big Shot: Designer Frames Textured Impressions folder, Holiday Collection framelits

Punches: Merry Minis punch pack, Little Labels punch pack

Embellishments: Gumball Green Stitched Satin ribbon

trim the christmas tree – paper spinning tops

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I love those delicate oval glass Christmas tree decorations that have a point at the bottom.  I don’t know the name of the shape, but it reminds me of the toy spinning tops I played with as a little girl.This is the home sweet homemade version of this traditional Christmas ornament.  Made with paper.  Of course.

Step 1
I started by drawing an oval and creating a curved point at the top and bottom.  Since it is in two dimensions, I decided to make it more interesting by layering multiple sizes of the same shape.   So I drew two more spinning top shapes smaller in scale.  Cut the largest spinning top from a piece of cardboard, like a cereal box and paint both sides.

Step 2
Punch a small hole near the top and bottom points.

Step 3
Select some decorative paper and cut two pieces of the medium spinning top.  Cut two more pieces of the small shape from another piece of paper.  Art paper scraps work perfectly!  Roll the small and medium shapes around a marker gently so the rounded sides will bend upwards.

Step 4
Layer two smaller shapes together on one side of the large spinning top and glue them along the center axis.  Repeat on the opposite side.

Step 5
Add a hanging loop through the top hole and a bead or other embellishment through the bottom hole.

Voila!  Easy and pretty! wishing you a basketful of holiday inspiration.

Holiday Traditions

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I love holidays and the traditions that come with the festivities. I would be lying if I said I didn’t get into the Christmas music and lights and the merriness of everything and everyone during this time of year. I’d also be lying if I said that as soon as it’s over I’m not dreading the next few months of brown slushy snow, cold, and overall dreariness of the months to come. Can’t we just skip from January 1 to April 1? Or better yet, only have three months of beautiful, white pretty snow? I love to do outdoor winter sports (XX SKIING!!!!) but am done with it after a few months of bifs and shirt fulls of snow.

I never really got into “traditions” before living on my own. Our family always does the best Christmas day – egg strada for breakfast, open presents, go for a walk, head to grandma’s. I love it, and I guess in its own way it is a tradition. But this year, I put together my 25 Days of Christmas list – things that I am excited to try with my husband and friends. What other suggestions do you have for holiday to-do lists?

  • 1. Create a cookie exchange
  • 2. Drive around with hot chocolate (in a sealed mug, of course) and look at Christmas lights
  • 3. Pick a few names off the tree at the mall and buy some exciting gifts for those in need
  • 4. Attend a holiday parade
  • 5. Watch my favorite Christmas movies (Hello, A Christmas Story and Elf) while drinking spiked hot chocolate in my jammies
  • 6. Host a Christmas Round Robin
  • 7. Create some pretty rockin’ DIY gifts for family and friends
  • 8. Window Shop
  • 9. Attend the Nutcracker in the Castle live display at the Paine Art Center and Gardens in Oshkosh, WI
  • 10. Create an Advent calendar
  • 11. Decorate a gingerbread house
  • 12. Create a recordable Christmas book for a new lil baby in our lives (Yay Carter!!)
  • 13. Travel home and see family + friends
  • 14. Make homemade apple cider in the crock pot
  • 15. Hang lights outside on our patio
  • 16. Go to a live nativity scene
  • 17. Have a campfire with family in Wausau
  • 18. Help serve food at a shelter
  • 19. Open and give special gifts
  • 20. Picnic dinner by Christmas tree
  • 21. Go ice skating
  • 22. Create Christmas cards
  • 23. Make homemade ornaments for family
  • 24. Make a homemade wreath
  • 25. Watch A Charlie Brown Christmas

What do you do for the holidays?

The Most Special TV Christmas Special

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Get outta here Rudolph. Charlie Brown, you’re the worst. There is only room in my heart for one Christmas TV special from my childhood and it’s this guy, Claymation Christmas. My brother and I were OBSESSED. And rightly so. JUST WATCH IT.

Anyway, I am knee deep in decorating for Christmas and will share soon, but hopefully this will tide you little elves over until then.

xmas

November 28, 2012

If there’s one thing that I have learned about myself over the years, its that I am no good at sitting still. I always have to be doing something, or I just don’t feel right. Like today, I have the day off, and I cannot just simply relax. I feel the need to blog, clean my room, clean the car, (which is much needed since putting the Christmas tree in the back seat) and finish the back yard.

And There Won’t Be Snow in Africa

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A couple days ago, Julia and I were listening to a radio station in the car that has begun playing Christmas/holiday music all day long. Up until that point, I had actually never heard the song “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” It’s got kind of a “Wavin’ Flag” feel to it, except in the ’80s and seriously more judgmental.

This charming ditty features the magical musical stylings of various pop artists who were famous in the ’80s, including George Michael, Sting, Bono, and various other people I can’t recognize because I was born in 1991.